Murder accused denies torturing victim, 70

A man accused of the murder of an elderly woman denied yesterday that she had been bashed and tortured to get her to reveal where she kept more than $23,000 in her house.

Shannon Troy Styman, 24, had it put to him by the prosecution that 70-year-old Joy Alchin - whose body was found 12 days after the robbery - had bruising and cuts to her face and body and swollen lips. She also had bruising to the vagina and anus consistent with sexual assault.

Styman admitted in the Supreme Court, Darlinghurst, that he, his uncle Ian Craig Styman and Peter David Taber had broken into the house at Greenwell Point, near Nowra, on the night of January 6 last year and had left after 20 minutes when they found the money. But he denied Ms Alchin had been bashed or sexually assaulted.

He said she had not said anything, "not even a moan", when she was grabbed by the three of them in the early hours of morning and manacled hand and foot. She had been gagged and a pillow slip put over her head but she had only moved slightly.

Crown prosecutor John Kiely, SC: "It appeared she might have been unconscious?"");document.write("

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Styman: "No."

Did she appear to be resisting in any way? - Not that I saw.

Not trying to kick you away, anything like that? - No.

Completely passive, one might say? - A little bit of resistance, but that was it, just movements of her body.

Styman said it had taken "about a minute" to bind Ms Alchin. He said his job had been to stay with her as the others searched.

Taber had allegedly said to her: "Just tell us where the money is." Styman said that was after she had been gagged. He agreed that sounded silly, but that was what had happened.

Mr Kiely: "You don't want to make it appear she was unconscious because she had been bashed?"

Styman: "She had not been bashed. How do you know? You weren't there!"

Styman said he had no idea how Ms Alchin sustained the injuries to the anal/rectal region.

On the evidence, Ian Taber made a triple 0 call at 4.54am. The call was not logged by the triple 0 operator and Ms Alchin lay for about 10 days before dying. Her body was found still bound, gagged and hooded on January 19 last year.

Styman, his uncle and Taber have been charged with the murder of Ms Alchin and with break, enter, deprivation of liberty and robbery, and sexual assault.

Shannon Styman has pleaded guilty to break, enter, deprivation of liberty and robbery. He has pleaded not guilty to murder and sexual assault. Ian Styman and Taber have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Mr Kiely asked yesterday why it was necessary for Shannon Styman, as he claimed, to stay with Ms Alchin and put his hand on her if she was tightly bound while the others searched. Styman replied: "So she wouldn't move and fall off the bed."

Mr Kiely: Hurt herself?

Styman: Yes.

Styman agreed ransacking the house had taken up to 18 minutes before the money was found and they left. Ian Styman had been asking: "Where is the money? There is supposed to be enough here to buy a house." But Shannon Styman said he himself had not been frustrated.